Since existing methods usually identify hotspots based on an arbitrary user-defined threshold with respect to the number of a target crime without considering underlying controlling factors, the current study introduces a new data mining model – Hotspots Optimization Tool (HOT) – to identify and optimize crime hotspots.
The key component of HOT, Geospatial Discriminative Patterns (GDPatterns), which capture the difference between two classes in spatial dataset, is used in crime hotspot analysis. Using a real-world dataset of a northeastern city in the United States, the authors demonstrate that the HOT model is a useful tool in optimizing crime hotspots, and it is also capable of visualizing criminal controlling factors which will help domain scientists further understanding the underlying reasons of criminal activities. (Published abstract provided)